OXYCONTIN MAKER SUED BY EX-EMPLOYEE

Researcher Says That Questioning Drug's Safety Cost Him Job

STAMFORD, Conn. - A former employee of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma who
told federal drug regulators that the powerful painkiller has dangerous
flaws is suing the company, claiming he was fired because of his complaints.

Marek Zakrzewski also says in the lawsuit that the company pressured him to
keep quiet, causing him physical and mental health stress, The Advocate of
Stamford reported. He said he was told to keep quiet, later demoted, and
eventually fired.

Zakrzewski, who was hired by Stamford-based Purdue Pharma in July 2000, was
an assistant director who researched OxyContin, also known as Oxycodone HCL.

Purdue Pharma spokesman Timothy Bannon said the company thinks it will be
cleared of wrongdoing.

"We consider that our actions with respect to this individual were
perfectly appropriate, and strongly deny his allegations that we acted in
any way to discourage cooperation with the authorities," Bannon said.

"We value our relationship with the authorities and always work not only to
meet, but to exceed, their requirements," he said.

Purdue Pharma has been criticized for the misuse of OxyContin, which had
annual sales of more than $1 billion in 2000 and is the company's
best-selling product.

The drug has been widely abused in Eastern Kentucky.

Zakrzewski's suit, filed last month in Danbury Superior Court, challenges
the company's defense that the time-release technology behind the
medication makes it safe.

The lawsuit says that during researching and testing, Zakrzewski discovered
that the dissolution speed varies in Oxycodone, and that the
faster-dissolving form of the drug was being used in uncontrolled amounts
to produce OxyContin.

The faster form, he said, potentially could dissolve more quickly into the
human body and cause overdosing and addiction.

Zakrzewski said he told management about the "serious negative
implications" that his findings could have for consumers. He said he was
then banned from doing additional research on the dissolution of the drug,
and later was ordered not to tell the company's regulatory department.